Jerusalem Attractions - the complete guide

Muslim Quarter

About

Sprawling across the northeastern portion of the Old City, and by far the largest of its four quarters, is the Moslem Quarter, which not only occupies the lion's share of the Old City's land, but also serves as home to the majority of its inhabitants, who are mostly Moslem, with a smattering of Christians, Jews and even a tiny Roman community.

The Moslem Quarter is the liveliest and least touristed of all the quarters (save the mostly closed-off Armenian Quarter), its alleys consistently packed with residents and east Jerusalemites doing their shopping in the seemingly endless aisles of the quarter's well-stocked and bustling market, which deals in everything from spices to clothing to pirated DVDs. As a mostly residential neighborhood, the Moslem Quarter isn't as rich in tourist sites as the Christian or Jewish quarters, but much of the Via Dolorosa cuts through it on its way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and many architecturally striking churches and mosques are to be found. Plus, the market offers a truly Middle Eastern experience to the visitor from abroad. Perhaps the quarter's greatest charm, though, is in its wealth of authentic Middle Eastern food, from hummus at the famous Abu Shukri to baklava and knafeh at one of the many bakeries.